Former ICAC boss Barry O'Keefe dies

The state government has sent its condolences to the family of Barry O'Keefe who has died in Sydney at the age of 79.

Mr O'Keefe was a former commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and NSW Supreme Court judge.

NSW Attorney-General Brad Hazzard said he was saddened to hear that Mr O'Keefe had died.

"On behalf of the NSW government, I extend my deepest condolences to Mr O'Keefe's family, friends and colleagues," he said in a statement on Friday.

During his long career, Mr O'Keefe was chief judge of the Commercial Division of the NSW Supreme Court, an additional judge of the Court of Appeal, and a judge of the Common Law Division and the Court of Criminal Appeal.

He also acted for the federal and NSW governments in many leading cases, and for Her Majesty's Crown Agents in the United Kingdom.

From 1994 to 1999 he served as ICAC commissioner and during that time ICAC won international recognition for its work, particularly in corruption prevention and education.